Overwhelmed
by Nahualmorph
Summary: Set right after the end of the first season. Two leaders finally reach their limits and find comfort in eachother's company. Nothing explicit here. Raph X Leo. kind of Splinter X Leo.


The city of New York home to four times more rats underneath the city tan humans living above.  
The city sewers, possessing more biodiversity than some of the countries natural biomes.  
15 years ago, that diversity had increased with 5 new inhabitants, one of which was currently trying to reach the place he called home before the other 4 arrived.

Splinter stopped and leaned against the moist wall, his head was spinning and his vision was blurry. He moved his left arm to his right shoulder to re arrange the piece of clothinside his kimono pressing against his wound and growled in pain. He moved the hand away and sighed. His palm was covered in blood.  
Splinter rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes, trying to fight back the tears as he remembered who caused the large wound on his right shoulder.  
Ni-wa

He thought the day was finally here. The day he could finally put his past to rest. To end that senseless feud with his old enemy. The shredder.  
His sons had a city to save. Fighting the Kraang invasion The old rat was feeling overwhelmed. His sons were in the most dangerous mission of their young lives. His human pupil, April O neal has been kidnapped by Shredder just to lure him out, and then handed over to the Kraang, becoming yet another obstacle for their sons to overcome.

He fought Shredder, defeating his foe despite his dirty tactics. And just as he was about to deliver the final blow, his world came crashing down.  
His beloved daughter, Ni-Wa, whom Splinter thought had perished in the fire with along with his wife so many years ago, was alive. Saved by the shredder, who poisoned her mind for years, leading her to believe it was Hamato Yoshi who killed her mother, and that shredder was her true father.  
It was she, calling herself Karai, who stopped splinter in the last second, blocking his strike and wounding his shoulder.  
The moment he realized who she was, splinter abandoned the fight, knowing there was nothing he could do except return home and pray for his sons.

The brief rest had at least allowed his head to stop spinning so hard. He re checked the piece of cloth pressing against his wound and looked around to make sure he wouldn t leave a blood trail leading to their lair.  
Splinter sighed sadly and continued his way.

The most important thing is the mission, you must complete it no matter what you have to sacrifice or whom

He believed in those words, he believed in them so hard that he was willing to sacrifice himself twice. And he would do it again without doubting if it meant the city and his brothers would be safe.  
Leonardo sat in the back of the Shellrazor. Donatello and Michelangelo sat in the front seats, letting the auto pilot drive them safely home and chatting excitedly, no doubt still in awe at having survived the whole ordeal.  
If anyone should be surprised to be alive, that would be Leo himself. He decided to stay behind and hold Kraang prime so his brothers could escape the technodrome in the last emergency pod.  
He knew that meant a certain death, as the huge, round metallic base pummeled into the ocean.  
The miracle happened in the last second. The technodrome tilted lightly in the right angle and a huge explosion right behind him gave the impulse he needed to go past Kraang prime and out of the escape hatch.  
The next thing he felt was the impact against the ocean and and the feeling of the cold water all around him. It both soothed the minor burns suffered from the explosion and made them sting because of the salt.  
He noticed the escape pod a few feet away and swam towards his brothers.  
The rest of the way back to the beach had been mostly a blur. Between Mikey hugging him and crying in joy, Donnie trying to calculate the variables of their impossible victory and Raph giving them both a hard time.  
Raph He was the one thing that remained constantly in his mind. After they all shared a hug, Raph s hand remained on his shoulder the entire way. Even now, his brother refused to break physical contact, rubbing ointment over the burns on his arms.  
What were you thinking Leo? You could have gotten killed there. I know Raph, and it was a price I was willing to pay for the safety of the city and my brothers You re crazy! Don t you ever say that again Leo! No turtle is left behind ever Raph walked behind Leo and placed his hands on the leader s shoulders.  
That s something I can t promise Raph not anymore Leo lowered his head, looking at his hands Our enemies are becoming more and more powerful. Sooner or later I might be forced to make a choice for the good of the mission. And if the time comes when a sacrifice has to be made. It will always be me Raph. The city Shut up! Just shut up Leo! Raph s scream made Done and Mikey turn to watch the discussion. Raph started walking back and forth in the cramped space.  
You selfish bastard! All you think is about being the perfect leader about completing the mission so you can feel like this big hero Raph you know that s not Leonardo s words died in his mouth as he noticed the thick tears running down Raph s face. The red masked turtle was shaking and hugging himself, not understanding the strong feelings inside him and not knowing how to deal with them.  
Did you ever stop to think about the rest of us? About what would be of us without you? Did you ever stop to think I wouldn t care about what happens to the city or the rest of the world if you re not in it? Leo was shocked, he knew Raph usually kept his feelings hidden and that he was also the most sensitive of them, always masking his sensibility under a fa ade of toughness.  
To see him break like this, to actually confess how much he cared about Leo The leader s mind was already extremely tired and stressed. He was in no shape to deal with this right now much less what happened next.  
He felt a pair of hands holding his shoulders again and was about to say something when Raph s lips pressed against his own.  
Leo s heart skipped a beat and his entire body shuddered at the unexpected action.  
Both Don and Mikey stared with wide eyes and slack jaws, not knowing what to do or say.  
Thankfully, a beep on the dashboard gave Don the excuse to break the awkward silence. Ahem!...we re home guys They hadn t realized the car was already parked outside their lair and had turned off.  
Raph broke the kiss as soon as the doors opened.  
You re an asshole He stormed inside the lair and into his room, locking his door.  
Leo swallowed and looked at Don and Mikey. Both brothers were grinning at him and Mikey looked like he was about to say something.  
Don t was Leo s only warning.  
Donatello scratched the back of his head awkwardly and stuttered.  
I m gonna I ll be at the lab, I got some samples of I ll be at the lab.  
Donnie walked out of the vehicle and mickey followed, stopping at the door to look back at Leo with a grin.  
I ll be reading some comics in my room. I ll be listening to some music with my earphones real loud. He winked at Leo and left the van as well.  
The blue masked turtle was still blushing furiously. He remained sitting for a full minute after the others left, just trying to put his thoughts in order.  
He definitely needed to talk to Raph, but he was too exhausted to deal with this right now. He decided to report their victory to master Splinter and then sleep for a whole day before deciding what to do.

Splinter had just arrived at the lair when he heard the huge engine of the ShellRazor. He hurried inside the dojo and quickly changed his bloodied kimono for a clean one. Going to kneel by the tree in the middle of the room. Knowing the turtles would enter to give him the news of the battle s results.  
He was both thankfull and susprised when only Leonardo entered the dojo. Good, he couyld dismiss him quickly and go tend his mental and physical wounds.  
The leader of the group walked inside the dojo and kneeled in front of his father.  
We won sensei. The Kraang had been defeated and April is safe, she is with her father right now. The city is safe. That is great news Leonardo said Splinter with his eyes closed as if meditating, making a huge effort to sound firm and pleased. You did a good job my son, I m sure you must all be exhausted. Let us rest and meditate, and we shall celebrate tomorrow. sensei? Splinter opened his eyes and gasped at the sight of his son all bruised and with burns over his arms and legs. He noticed Leo s widened eyes and followed his adoptive son s stare.  
There was a dark stain over the right shoulder of his kimono.  
Splinter tried to get up, but the sudden move caused his head to spin and the rat fell forwards.  
sensei! I0m fine Leonardo, its just a small cut doesn t look like a small cut to me. Let me get Donnie and Splinter placed a hand on Leonardo s shoulder to stop him.  
No, I don t want your brothers to worry. Let them rest, just help me to my room. I have a first aid kit there. Leonardo helped his sensei stand, letting him lean on his shoulder as they slowly made their way towards splinter s room, on the other side of the dojo.  
What happened? finally asked Leonardo.  
Oroku saki the shredder Splinter felt bile just at the mention of that name.  
Sensei, you re much more skilled than him, how could he defeat you? He didn t, we were interrupted before we could finish They entered Splinter s room and Leo locked the door, leading Splinter to his bed and fetching the first aid kit from under it.  
Karai Leonardo gritted his teeth as he opened the case, taking out pieces of cotton, distilled water and iodine to clean his sensei s wound.  
Splinter groaned in pain, slipping his kimono off and exposing his toned torso. The wound was not deep, but it was large enough to deserve a dozen stitches. It was barely bleeding my now, but there was dried blood all around it.  
Leonardo started cleaning the wound, feeling anger rising within him.  
I m going to make her pay for this. No. we do not use our strength for revenge, we only fight for justice She tried to kill you! She captured April! She is pure evil! She Leonardo s fists were shaking with rage. He felt Splinter s hand on top of his clenched fist and his anger turned to shock as he noticed a tear running down his sensei s face.  
Leonardo Karai is Ni-wa Leonardo felt like someone splashed him with Ice water.  
Slinter sighed and turned away from him.  
Shredder took her the night he killed my wife, raised her as his own daughter, and told her I killed her mother. Master Splinter I Leo didn t know what to say, the revelations were again overwhelming his mind. He remained silent and resumed his attention to his sensei s wound, skillfully stitching it closed and patching it with gauze and tape. Once he was finished, he just remained motionless, kneeling next to his own almost naked sensei and staring into empty space.  
Leonardo Splinter moved his left hand to caress Leo s face I don t want to see my son fighting my daughter. Leonardo felt his sensei s hand shaking against his face and that was the last straw.  
After the most intense fight of his life, after he almost died twice, after Raph revealed his feelings for him coming home and finding his father wounded and in such vulnerable state it was all finally too much.  
He wrapped his arms around Splinter, careful not to hurt his shoulder and buried his face in the rat s neck, releasing a few silent tears before sobbing, and finally, openly crying in his master s arms.  
Splinter was also surprised when he felt his student s tears wetting his fur and his sobs. But he was also emotionally wrecked, so he simply returned the hug and rested his chin over Leo s head, letting his own sadness express itself, crying silently next to his son.  
Master and student comforted eachother for the next ten minutes, just holding eachother and sharing a moment of unique closeness.  
Splinter noticed Leo was now only sobbing lightly. He chuckled and rubbed the turtle s back comfortingly.  
It s been a while since I held you like this, my son.  
Leo sobbed one last time and sighed sadly, moving his head lower to rest against Splinter s bare, muscular chest. Smiling as he listened to his father s strong heart beating.  
Almost 7 years ago, we saw that movie about the killer doll and went foraging after that. Raph thought it would be funny to play a little prank and tossed a doll like the one from the movie at me, I lost balance and fell into a draining pipe. I thought I d lose you that day my son, but your brother realized his mistake and jumped after you, risking his life to pull you from the strong current Leonardo smiled at the memory. Raph had always been there for him. Always pushing him to be stronger, always testing his limits, so he could overcome them. And always at his side, ready to go to hell and back if it meant he could share the leader s burden.  
He knew what he had to do now but not tonight. Tonight would be a night to heal, to give his mind and body some respite, and to offer his sensei the same comfort he gave his students for so many years.  
Leonardo rubbed the firm, furry chest with a hand and sighed again.  
Dad can I stay with you tonight? He felt a kiss on his head and the hand rubbing his back moving to hold the sheets and cover their bodies.  
Of course, my son .


End file.
